Any hobby or special interest has its own jargon. You’ll pick up on the silly slang that birders use as you go – like calling the Yellow-rumped Warbler, “butterbutt.” Still, learning a few basics of bird vocab is useful when you’re starting out. It’ll help you ask better questions when you…

Birds have always been a source of inspiration for writers, like Edgar Allen Poe, Maya Angelou, and William Shakespeare, to name a few. But what is it about them that so captures our literary imagination? Words in Flight is a celebration of contemporary poetry about birds and what they…

For folks looking to try birding for the first time, getting started can be daunting. Should you learn every species’ call, every subtle feather pattern before you head out to look for birds? While it’s good to prepare, there’s a risk of scaring yourself out of starting, and preventing the…

Duck hunting may sound like a forbidden sport for most bird lovers but did you know that some of the most dedicated bird conservationists - in the world - are also devout hunters? In this episode of Bring Birds Back, our host Dr. Deja Perkins speaks with Jerad Henson from Ducks Unlimited –…

Isaiah Scott was in middle school when his family took him to visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. He remembers seeing a huge mural showing hundreds of colorful birds spread across a map of the world. That painting, called the Wall of Birds by Jane Kim, got Isaiah curious about how many…

Chicago has been in the spotlight quite a lot as of late, but one of its most remarkable attributes can be seen in the night sky: nocturnal bird migration. In this episode, our host Deja Perkins speaks with J’orge Garcia of the Windy City Bird Lab about how he’s integrating technology and…

In this season 8 premiere of Bring Birds Back, host Deja Perkins returns with legislative strategist from the American Bird Conservancy, Hardy Kern. Hardy shares the history of the Endangered Species Act, how the legendary law is being challenged by the current administration, and what we…

From an early age, urban ornithologist Murry Burgess loved to draw and tell stories – and that passion stayed with her as her love for birds grew as well. The joy Murry found in both art and science inspired her to write the children’s book Sparrow Loves Birds. The story follows the…

The season 8 premiere of Bring Birds Back starts Wednesday, December 3rd! With our returning host, Dr. Deja Perkins, we’re deep diving into policy, tech, and protections for birds. From the Endangered Species Act to nocturnal migration, and even hunting – we explore various different forms…

Birder and author Christian Cooper says learning to identify bird calls feels like unlocking a sixth sense. Birding by ear is a skill that takes time to develop, but you’ll start to recognize patterns with practice. Christian says mnemonics are a great way to remember bird calls. Some…